More ruffles

Yup!  More ruffle scarves!

I did the two scarves last night (the Bernat Truffle in purples I posted yesterday, plus a red and burgundy version; I think it's Sashay, but the label disappeared, so I'm not sure), then my daughter gave it a go with the Bernat Truffle in reds.  She did about half before bed, then started again in the afternoon, almost finishing by the time I left to teach a class.  When I came back several hours later, she'd worked up the other two balls of Bernat Truffle I had (the black/grey and blues), too!

I came home with two more balls of yarn - another Bernat Truffle in green, yellow and blue, plus a peacock blue Starbella Flash, plus a second hook.  I had to lay claim to the Starbella, because she was ready to work up both right away!  She promptly worked up the Truffle yarn, and I just finished doing the Starbella.

Two days, seven scarves!

Yeah, we're hooked.  Pun intended.

When I picked up the extra yarn and hook, I had a chance to talk to my manager about doing this during $5 Yarn Night on Saturday, April 20.  For those in Edmonton, if you want to see how to make these, I will be at the Clareview Michaels from 1-3pm.  If all goes as planned, I'll be set up in the yarn section instead of the classroom.

Hope to see you there!

Finally! My first ruffle scarf

So I've been fussing with various types of ruffle yarn lately.  The scarves made with this yarn are really popular right now, and they're very simple.  Just a few stitches of basic knit or crochet across.

Simple, however, does not mean easy.

This stuff has been driving me crazy!

I don't knit.  I can knit, but I'm rather terrible at it, and I just don't enjoy it enough to put in the effort to become good.  My younger daughter knits and, after failing with crochet, she knit one of these scarves up in no time at all.  Well, relatively speaking, since the ball of ruffle yarn she was using had about twice the yardage of other brands.  It's a pretty awesome and very looong scarf.  She could have done two, instead!

I've started making a scarf with ruffle yarn several times over, but just can't seem to get the hang of it.  I've met people who can crochet a scarf in about half an hour, and I just don't get how they can do it.  The yarn is obnoxiously irritating to work with.  It drives me nuts, and it doesn't seem to matter what brand I use, either.

Then someone on the crochet instructor's facebook group put up instructions on making a ruffle scarf using a latch hook.   Yes, the same latch hook used for rug making.  Today, I finally picked up a latch hook and gave it a go.

Wow, does it ever work!  The technique is completely different.  Rather than rows, it's made up of clusters.  It's not my pattern, so I won't put instructions here, but I am already thinking of different ways I want to try it with the latch hook.  My daughter is also wanting to try it, too.

I think we will need to pick up another latch hook!

So here it is, my first ruffle scarf, modeled by my daughter and her cat.

I used new Bernat Truffle yarn, which is currently on introductory sale at Michaels for $1.99 (the regular price is $6.99, so you might want to stock up - our you can buy it from my Amazon shop here.).  Though only 37 yards in a skein, it makes up a very long scarf - it's doubled up in the photo.  I picked up 4 different colours of this yarn, and am now pretty excited about trying them all out!

Assembly

Working on a hairpin lace scarf project for my course.  The strips are ready for joining.  I'm going to call it the Voice of Fire scarf.  It might not get me millions in taxpayer dollars, but it will keep someone's neck warm. ;-)

Special Olympics Canada scarf and pattern

Special Olympics Canada, Vertical Stripe Scarf

 

This is an easy scarf design worked in Special OlympicsCanada colours.  Donated scarves are given to all the athletes, their families, coaches and volunteers.  Extra scarves are donated to those in need.  This scarf is done in just single and double crochet stitches and can be worked up quickly.  Make a few and donate them to worthy cause!

Yarn: Medium (4) weight acrylic yarn in any blue similar to the Special Olympics Canada logo, white and maple leaf red.

Hook: 5.00mm

Foundation chain in blue: work a chain about 6 feet in length (about 250 stitches; I worked mine in 270 stitches for a longer scarf) + 2 for turning chain.

Turning chains are not counted as a stitches in this pattern.

Row 1: Work dc in third chain from the hook.  Continue working Dc to end of foundation chain.  Ch 1.  Turn.

Row 2: Sc in each Dc to end.  Ch 2 loosely.  Turn.

Row 3: Dc in each Sc to end changing colour to white at last stitch.  Ch 1.  Turn.

Row 4: In white, Sc in each Dc to end.  Ch 2 loosely.  Turn

Row 5: Dc in each Sc to end, changing colour to red at the last stitch.  Ch 1.  Turn.

Row 6: In Red, Sc in each Dc to end, changing to white at the last stitch. Ch 2 loosely.  Turn.

Row 7: In white, Dc in each Sc to end.  Ch 1.  Turn.

Row 8: In white, Sc in each Dc to end, changing to blue in last stitch.  Ch 2 loosely.  Turn.

Row 9: In blue, Dc in each Sc to end.  Ch 1.  Turn.

Row 10: Sc in each Dc to end.  Ch 2 loosely.  Turn.

Row 11: Dc in each Sc to end.  Finish off and weave in end.

Join white into a right hand corner of either narrow end, in between the last two Dc on the long side.  Sc into same spot as join.  Ch 2 to turn corner.  Work 2 Sc around Dc post on the short edge.  Continue working evenly along edge with 1 Sc into an Sc row and 2 Sc around Dc posts (including any turning chains) to next corner.  There will be 2 Sc worked around the last Dc post.  Ch 2 to turn corner and work 1 more Sc in the space between the last Dc post worked around and the next Dc stitch on the long side.  There should be 17 Sc between the Ch 2 spaces, plus one Sc worked on the long side of each corner.

Work Sc in between the Dc stitches to the end of the scarf.  At the end, Ch 2 to turn corner.  Work 17 Sc across the end in the same manner as at the beginning.  Ch 2 to turn corner and work Sc into the space between the last Dc post worked around and the next Dc.  Continue working Sc in between the Dc stitches to the end, slip stitching into the beginning Sc.

Finish off yarn and weave in ends.

Special Olympics Canada - Tunisian scarf

It took me a while, but I finally finished the scarf I was making for Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, and here it is!



I was able to use my Denise Interchangable Crochet Hooks for the first time for this project.  It's the first time I've ever seen an 8mm hook, so that's the size I chose to make this.  I worked it using a Tunisian double crochet, however I worked the hook as with the Tunisian Stockinette stitch, in between the vertical bars from front to back instead of the front only.  Between the size of the hook and the stitch, it made for a very open fabric.

Tunisian stitch naturally tends to go on the diagonal, which can be blocked straight.  I used that tendancy as part of the design, instead. 

I'm really happy with how it turns out, but would never do a scarf like this again!  With all the colour changes, there were so many ends to work in; two for every band of colour for a scarf that ended up being more than 6 feet long!  Not an easy thing to hide and anchor all those ends in such an open design.

I'm happy with how it turned out, though, and I hope whoever recieves it enjoys it. :-)

I was able to finish a second scarf before I finished stitching this one.  I will be writing that one up as a free pattern in another post.

Knit scarf

scarf-full
Originally uploaded by amkb

A sure sign that crafting is contagious. Our younger daughter has taken up crochet and a bit of knitting. Our elder daughter, who is already a fantastic painter and makes very unique fabric dolls, among other things, is trying to figure out crochet now.

My husband, meanwhile, has been itching to knit. He's tried a few times, but didn't get the groove until he made this scarf for our younger daughter (and willing model). I had to laugh at ourselves. While my husband was finishing this scarf, I was working on another placemat in the cotton, while our elder daughter was trying to crochet. Youngest was making sure my husband's yarn didn't get tangled. So all 4 of us, sitting there, knitting and crocheting... while watching a Rambo marathon. LOL

He got himself some larger needles, which helped. I had a stash of Bernat Harmony yarn, which is quite bulky (rated 5 on the label). The colour is Silk Green.

You can see a more detailed image here.

He did quite well, I think. Knitting is one thing I'm just not getting the hang of, though I admit it's probably because I don't enjoy doing it enough to get better. I'm happier with my hooks. My husband prefers needles. Between the two of us, we've got it all covered. ;-)